Hannah Einbinder, the Emmy-winning star of "Hacks," publicly criticized Hollywood's silence on the ongoing war in Gaza during her appearance on Zeteo's "Beyond Israelism" podcast, released on May 12.
Einbinder's Outspoken Views
Speaking alongside Algerian-Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil, Einbinder expressed frustration at the industry's reluctance to address the conflict. "It pisses me off," she stated, emphasizing the courage shown by Khalil in contrast to the silence of those with "every privilege imaginable."
Einbinder has consistently used her platform to advocate for Palestine, notably going viral at the Emmys with her "Free Palestine" acceptance speech. She rejects the notion that her actions are brave, saying, "What I am doing is having eyes and seeing reality and saying what I am seeing."
Hollywood's Silence
Einbinder observed a stark difference in Hollywood's response to issues affecting white figures versus those impacting Palestinians. She pointed out how the industry rallied around free speech concerns during the Trump administration, yet remained largely silent on Palestinian issues.
"People in Hollywood, unfortunately, need these issues to affect a white person for them to see it as relating to them," she remarked, referencing incidents involving prominent figures like Jimmy Kimmel and Stephen Colbert.
Cannes Film Festival
Einbinder is set to attend the Cannes Film Festival for the premiere of "Teenage Sex and Death and Camp Miasma," while fellow attendee Pedro Almodóvar also criticized Hollywood's apolitical stance on the Gaza conflict. In an interview with the Los Angeles Times, Almodóvar noted the absence of significant protest during the recent Oscar telecast.
Almodóvar cited the example of Javier Bardem, who vocally supported Palestine, as one of the few voices of protest. He expressed concern over the state of democracy in the U.S., calling it "an imperfect democracy" at best.
Concerns Over Democracy
Almodóvar described the current political climate as a paradox, where democratic processes have led to what he views as a totalitarian regime. "It's both a paradox and it's also incredibly sad," he stated.
For those interested in Einbinder's full podcast discussion, it is available on Zeteo's website.
Source: https://variety.com/2026/film/news/hannah-einbinder-hollywood-palestine-silence-white-men-1236745551/
